Where the Kingfisher builds 283 



The sawpit, to prevent accidents to cattle, was roughly 

 covered over with slabs of wood, which practically roofed 

 it in, and of course darkened the interior. It was in this 

 sawpit that the kingfishers had their nest, in what appeared 

 to be a hole partly excavated by a rabbit. The distance 

 from the hatch and brook was about 400 yards, so that 

 the parent birds had to carry the fish they captured nearly 

 a quarter of a mile. The sawpit, too, was close to a lane 

 used a good deal, though sheltered by a thick hedge from 

 the observation of those who passed. 



In another case I knew of, the kingfishers built in a 

 mound overhanging a small stagnant and muddy pond, in 

 which there were no fish, and which was within twenty 

 paces of a farmhouse. The house was situate on a hill 

 about three hundred yards from the nearest running 

 stream. This little pond was full in wet weather only, 

 and was constantly used by the horses, the cattle in the 

 field that came almost up to the door, and by the tame 

 ducks. Beside the pond was a wood pile, and persons 

 were constantly passing it to and fro. Yet the kingfishers 

 built there and reared their young ; and this not only for 

 one season, but for several years in succession. They had 

 to bring all the fish they captured up from the brook, over 

 the garden, and to pass close to the house. Why they 

 should choose such a place is not easily explained, seeing 

 that so many apparently more suitable localities were open 

 to them along the course of the stream. 



One summer I found a family of four young kingfishers 

 perched in a row on a dead branch crossing a brook which 

 ran for some distance beside a double-mound hedge. 

 There was a hatch just there too, forcing the water into 

 two ponds, one each side of the mound. The brook had 

 worn itself a deep channel, and so required a hatch to 



